By: Mary-Margaret Wilbert, Amanda Gilbert, and Lorraine Caffery
Defining Spin!
When a Politian takes something an opponent has said or done and twists it to be interpreted negatively to the public.
Example from Recent Politics:
A classic example of present day spin pertains to Democratic party candidate Barrack Obama, and his pastor of twenty years and member of his political campaign, Reverand Wright. In an interview Barrack Obama stated: “I Don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial.” Researching the subject more, it was unearthed that Reverand Wright was actually a very controversial figure in American Society, and with a golden opportunity the media (The Press is the Enemy) pounced and immediately spun the story, and many controversial remarks the Rev. had said came to light. In a particular sermon after the 9/11 attacks, Rev. Wright assailed the U.S. with slander, saying “We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Wright said. "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost." However, this was just one of many duragatory remarks made by Rev. Wright. In another sermon, the Rev. talked about how America actually facilitated black corruption, saying: “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.” In this sermon he made the most infamous remark, saying “God Damn America.”
Since the media has unearthed the skeletons of Rev. Wright they have relentlessly spun stories to encumber Barrack Obama’s campaign. Indeed, the brutality of Spin has outraged many people and is working the exact way intended.
Example from the Book:
Nixon gave the Checkers speech in 1952 after being accused of taking $18,000 from a group of supporters. He was running as the vice presidential candidate; Eisenhower was the nominee for president. Four days before he gave this speech, the New York Post printed a story about a fund that he used to pay campaign expenses. Even though he did not use any of the money for his own use, many in his party were worried about the effect this would have on the overall campaign. While many wanted him to step down as the vice presidential candidate, Governor Thomas Dewey asked Nixon to give a speech on nation wide television. Governor Dewey told him to “Tell them everything there is to tell, everything you can remember since the day you entered public life”. Nixon knew that his political career depended on this speech, and he used spin to his advantage.
Nixon proceeded to tell the largest tv audience in history about all of his finances. During this time period people did not talk about their finances publically. He told the American public that he could not pay for his own campaign but he still felt like the average man should be able to run for office. He spoke again of the money in this fund not being used for his personal expenses and that no one who contributed to the fund received any favors. After he finished explaining his position he turned the tables on his opponents by asking them to reveal the names of contributors to their campaigns. Nixon even suggested that some of these people may have taken money from the state government. Nixon had told the American people about all of his finances and then asked his opponents to do the same, and said if they did not then they might have been trying to hide something. The Checkers speech that Nixon gave proved that he was sincere and trustworthy. He used spin to turn this situation to his advantage.
Citation:
Matthews, Chris. Hardball. New York: Free Press, 1988.
Hardball Lesson #2: Spin
Login info: ccsark and mcgeheeBy: Mary-Margaret Wilbert, Amanda Gilbert, and Lorraine Caffery
Defining Spin!
When a Politian takes something an opponent has said or done and twists it to be interpreted negatively to the public.
Example from Recent Politics:
A classic example of present day spin pertains to Democratic party candidate Barrack Obama, and his pastor of twenty years and member of his political campaign, Reverand Wright. In an interview Barrack Obama stated: “I Don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial.” Researching the subject more, it was unearthed that Reverand Wright was actually a very controversial figure in American Society, and with a golden opportunity the media (The Press is the Enemy) pounced and immediately spun the story, and many controversial remarks the Rev. had said came to light. In a particular sermon after the 9/11 attacks, Rev. Wright assailed the U.S. with slander, saying “We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Wright said. "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost." However, this was just one of many duragatory remarks made by Rev. Wright. In another sermon, the Rev. talked about how America actually facilitated black corruption, saying: “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.” In this sermon he made the most infamous remark, saying “God Damn America.”Since the media has unearthed the skeletons of Rev. Wright they have relentlessly spun stories to encumber Barrack Obama’s campaign. Indeed, the brutality of Spin has outraged many people and is working the exact way intended.
Example from the Book:
Nixon gave the Checkers speech in 1952 after being accused of taking $18,000 from a group of supporters. He was running as the vice presidential candidate; Eisenhower was the nominee for president. Four days before he gave this speech, the New York Post printed a story about a fund that he used to pay campaign expenses. Even though he did not use any of the money for his own use, many in his party were worried about the effect this would have on the overall campaign. While many wanted him to step down as the vice presidential candidate, Governor Thomas Dewey asked Nixon to give a speech on nation wide television. Governor Dewey told him to “Tell them everything there is to tell, everything you can remember since the day you entered public life”. Nixon knew that his political career depended on this speech, and he used spin to his advantage.
Nixon proceeded to tell the largest tv audience in history about all of his finances. During this time period people did not talk about their finances publically. He told the American public that he could not pay for his own campaign but he still felt like the average man should be able to run for office. He spoke again of the money in this fund not being used for his personal expenses and that no one who contributed to the fund received any favors. After he finished explaining his position he turned the tables on his opponents by asking them to reveal the names of contributors to their campaigns. Nixon even suggested that some of these people may have taken money from the state government. Nixon had told the American people about all of his finances and then asked his opponents to do the same, and said if they did not then they might have been trying to hide something. The Checkers speech that Nixon gave proved that he was sincere and trustworthy. He used spin to turn this situation to his advantage.
Citation:
Matthews, Chris. Hardball. New York: Free Press, 1988.
Senator Nixonʼs Checkers Speech. Watergate.info. 25 August, 2008.
<http://www.watergate.info/nixon/checkers-speech.shtml>
Ross, Brian. Rev. “Obama’s Pastor God Damn America.”
ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures. March 13, 2008. ABC. August 25, 2008.
<http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4443788>
http://flickr.com/photos/14222162@N03/2155640349